Tuesday

363 days so far this year…2 days remain in 2009 and in the first decade of the 21st century
►Provocative Quote
"The minute a man is convinced that he is interesting, he isn`t."
~Unknown
►Free Ramblings
I hope everyone had a great Christmas, I know I did. I left Flagstaff with a new blanket of snow—about 8”. The plane took off on time and I was off and running. After Phx, I got to Vegas. Had a three hour wait, because Chicago had bad weather. Instead of getting in at 6p, I got in at 9:30. A little tired, but glad to see the relatives. On Christmas Eve the eating began early and continued though Christmas Day. Spend Christmas Eve with my sister-in-laws sister, her husband and a three year old girl and a five year old boy. As Chase, the boy, said “We have to open presents on Christmas Eve so there will be enough room for Santa to leave his presents.” My sister-in-laws parents and aunt made sure I got presents too. Very kind and thoughtful to be remembered.

During the five days in Chicago, it rained, it snowed, I never saw the sun, and it was cold. Even when it wasn’t snowing or raining, the air was wet, which made if feel much colder than it was. We did go sledding with the little kids. Then the adults had a snow ball fight. A great time.

I figured getting back to AZ would be difficult. I had been though Chicago security last year. That year I went through what I thought was too invasive. So this year I thought I was ready. Got to the airport early, and prepared myself. The Security line was only about 10 minutes. I only had carry-on luggage. I received an eco friendly aluminum water bottle and a flashlight that had a long bendable part so you can see around corners. The bottle was on top in the bag and the flashlight was not. The flashlight was still in its packaging that could not be opened without a sharp object. I figured the bottle would freak them out. Nope, it was the flashlight. They had to open the bag, do the explosive wipe thing and basically empty the bag. However, the whole process took about 3 minutes, the TSA people were very courteous, kind, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent (boy scouts). I didn’t even get patted down or anything. I really think that somebody in DC has told TSA they need to respect the passengers. That’s very nice. At the Vegas gate, we met a very officious gate person. She stopped five people and took their luggage away because she visually determined it was too big. Several people were making connections and had not had a problem on the previous flight. Our flight had enough empty seats that there was plenty of room in the overheads. When passengers questioned her visual inspection as to size, she had a great answer: “I guess the other gate person didn’t do his/her job. I’m just doing mine.” Overall, the overzealous security was not as bad as I had expected. A good day of travel.
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± Quotes from Values.com—LIVE LIFE
“You only live once - but if you work it right, once is enough.”
~Joe E. Lewis Comedian, Singer
± Unusual Criminals…
Washington D.C. - A convict broke out of jail in Washington D.C., then a few days later accompanied his girlfriend to her trial for robbery. At lunch, he went out for a sandwich. She needed to see him, and thus had him paged.
Police officers recognized his name and arrested him as he returned to the courthouse in a car he had stolen over the lunch hour.
± Random Fact
Kansas state law requires pedestrians crossing the highways at night to wear tail lights.
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§ December Month Long Observances
Birthstone: Blue Topaz…Flower of the Month: Narcissus
Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month + Hi Neighbor Month + National Write A Business Plan Month + National Tie Month + Rising Star Month + Safe Toys and Gifts Month + Spiritual Literacy Month + Stress Free Family Holiday Month + Universal Human Rights Month + Read A New Book Month+ World Aids Month
§ Observance Weeks in December
It's About Time Week (25-31)
Kwanzaa: (26-1/1)
§ 29 December Observances
Pepper Pot Day: Pepper Pot Day commemorates the creation of this thick spicy soup, served to the Continental Army during the cold, harsh winter of 1777-1778. George Washington asked his army's chef to prepare a meal for the army, that would both warm them, and boost their moral. The chef found scraps of tripe, small bits of meat and some peppercorn. He mixed this in with some other ingredients, and created Pepper Pot soup, also known as "Philadelphia Pepper Pot soup”. The hot, and somewhat spicy soup, was well received by the troops. It was called "the soup that won the war”.
National Chocolate Day
Tick Tock Day—to realize there is still time in 09 to get things done.
Texas: Admission Day (1945)
Kwanzaa: Today is Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
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§ Holy Mackerel: On this day in 1862…Bowling ball invented
§ Births On This Day
     ~ The Arts
Pablo Casals in 1876 cellist/conductor/composer
Ted Danson in 1947 (raised in Flagstaff) actor: Cheers
Marianne Faithfull in 1946 singer: As Tears Go By
Tom Jarriel in 1934 newscaster
Jude Law in 1972 actor
Mary Tyler Moore in 1936 Emmy Award-winning actress
Paula Poundstone in 1959 comedienne
Jon Voight in 1938 actor
     ~Athletics
James Darling in 1974 NFL Eagles
Tom Knight in 1974 Cardinals
Malcolm Seabron in 1972 NFL Oilers
     ~Business, Education, Politics
Archibald Alison in 1792 Scottish historian (History of Europe)
Tom Bradley in 1917 (Mayor-Los Angeles)
Andrew Johnson in 1808 17th President
William Ewart Gladstone in 1809 British PM
     ~Science/Religion
Charles Goodyear in 1800 inventor (vulcanization process for rubber)
Charles Macintosh in 1776 (Scotland) patented waterproof fabric
§ In Remembrance
Thomas Becket archbishop, assassinated by 4 knights of King Henry II in 1170 @ 52
[Maurice] Harold Macmillan British PM (1957-63), in 1986 @ 92
Spotted Elk (Heȟáka Glešká or Hupah Glešká) aka Big Foot Sioux Indian chief, dies in 1890 at Wounded Knee Massacre @ 64
§ Historical Events On This Day
1782…1st nautical almanac in US published by Samuel Stearns, Boston
1813…British burn Buffalo New York during the War of 1812
1848…President James Polk turned on the first gas light at the White House.
1851…1st Young Men's Christian Association chapter opened (Boston)
1867…1st telegraph ticker used by a brokerage house, Groesbeck & Company, New York
1913…1st movie serial, "Adventures of Kathlyn" premieres in Chicago IL
1937…Ireland adopts constitution (Irish Free State becomes Eire)
1948…US State Department announces work on placing objects into Earth orbit
1952…1st transistorized hearing aid offered for sale (Elmsford NY)
1967…Star Trek's "The Trouble With Tribbles" 1st airs
1972…Life magazine ceases publication
1975…A terrorist bomb is exploded in the main terminal of New York's LaGuardia Airport, killing 11 people.
1982…Bob Marley postage stamp issued in Jamaica
1983…US announces withdrawal from UNESCO
1989…Wayne Gretzky & Martina Navratilova are named athletes of the decade by the Associated Press
1997…Hong Kong begins slaughtering all its chickens to prevent bird flu
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§ Rhyme & Reason
Answer the following clue in two rhyming words (e.g. an obese feline is a fat cat) If only one number is given, the answer is a word featuring internal rhyme (e.g. voodoo)
1. Lassie's testimony (4,5):
2. stray over there (6,6):
3. make certain that all 52 cards are there (5,4):
4. infrared vision, or what carrots enhance? (5,5):
5. letter bucket (4,4):
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ANSWERS
1. Lassie's testimony (4,5): woof proof
2. stray over there (6,6): wander yonder
3. make certain that all 52 cards are there (5,4): check deck
4. infrared vision, or what carrots enhance? (5,5): night sight
5. letter bucket (4,4): mail pail